contained the whole of the Scriptures; Luther called them a little Bible; and several excellent men have learned the whole Psalter, or book of Psalms, by heart. The value of these precious Psalms is much increased, when we consider the great use made of them by our blessed Lord himself when he was upon earth. Even in his last moments he expressed himself in the words of the 22d and the 31st Psalms: he expired just after he had uttered the 5th verse of the latter. It has been well observed, that He in whom were all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who spake as never man spake—He who is one with the Father-chose to conclude his life, to solace or comfort himself in his last agony, and to breathe out his soul in the words of the Psalmist. Surely, nothing can give us a higher idea of the value of that book, or show the importance of making it our constant study. We may also observe, that more texts from the book of Psalms are quoted, by our Lord and his apostles, in the New Testament, than from any other book of the Old Testament. The texts quoted are nearly seventy, besides others which are evidently referred to. Perhaps parents and teachers who may read this, will direct the attention of the children under their care more than before to that blessed book, the book of Psalms. The prophetic books, in the original Hebrew, are mostly written in verse. Several passages are Divine songs or psalms, as Isa. xii. Habakkuk iii. &c. Most of the prophecies were spoken in verse. The language of Hebrew poetry was more suitable than prose for the striking and impressive descriptions of the sinfulness of the Jews, and the Divine wrath against sin, as well as for the beautiful and touching declarations of the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord. Nothing more clearly shows how the heart of man is naturally inclined to evil, and hardened against the word of the Lord, than that the Israelites should reject the words of the Holy Spirit, as spoken by the prophets. But, alas! this is too much our own case! Oh let us beware of the certain consequence of rejecting the offered mercy of the Lord. Let us earnestly pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to seek for lon through the blood of Christ.. may The schools of the prophets have been mentioned, and I here remark, that the apostle Paul (in Eph. v. and Col. iii.) probably refers to the method of speaking in a sort of verse, which is still common among the eastern nations, and in Italy, where persons will recite a history, or speak for a long time together in a poetic style. But how different are the subjects and the matter of their discourses from those of the prophets and the apostles! The earliest instance of speaking in verse in the Bible, is the address of Lamech, Gen. iv. 23. The answer of Samuel to Saul, 1 Sam. xv. 22, 23, is of the same description. The blessing of Jacob, Gen. xlix. and the song of Moses, Deut. xxxii. are beautiful instances of this style. The prophecies of Balaam in particular deserve notice, not only from being some of the earliest we find in the Bible, but also from their peculiar beauty. These are to be found in Numbers xxiii. and xxiv. In Micah vi. 5-8, we find a striking passage, which that prophet gives as the inquiry of the king of Moab and the answer of Balaam ; it is, indeed, an important inquiry: Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah ? With calves of a year old? Will Jehovah be well pleased with thousands of rams? With ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? This The reader will observe how each second line repeats and enforces the idea expressed in the preceding one. was a favourite sort of poetry among the Jews. Balaam was an awful character: he knew the truth; he declared it to others; he acknowledged the power of the Lord; he possessed great abilities; yet he went on adding When we see a sin to sin, till iniquity became his ruin! school, or a family, receiving religious instruction, we should rejoice, but with trembling, knowing that the name of the Lord too often is in the lips when the heart is far from him. O my dear reader, have you ever seriously thought of tihs? Seek the Lord while he may be found: lose not a day, lose not an hour; but, on the day you read this, seek in earnest for salvation. Remember what it is "to walk humbly with thy God." It is to go to him as a guilty, helpless sinner, having no good.of your own to boast, humbly seeking for pardon through Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour, and for sanctification or holiness through him. Another beautiful specimen of ancient Hebrew poetry, is David's lamentation over Saul and Jonathan. It has been thus translated, dividing the lines as in the original : O Beauty of Israel! Pierced on thine own mountains! How have the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath: Publish it not in the streets of Askelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice! On you be neither dew nor rain, Nor fields affording oblations; Since there hath been vilely cast away From the blood of warriors, The bow of Jonathan was not held back, Saul and Jonathan ! In their lives were united in mutal love. They were stronger than lions! Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul! In the midst of the battle? O, Jonathan, pierced on thine own mountains! Thy love to me was wonderful, How have the mighty fallen! MUSIC was used in the worship of the Jews, and at their festivals. On occasions of rejoicing or thanksgiving, both music and dancing were customary. Thus Laban spoke of his desire to have sent Jacob away with the sound of the tabor and the harp, as well as songs. The prophet Isaiah mentions that the harp and the viol, the tabret and the pipe, were "in their feasts," Isa. v. 12; and, in the parable of the prodigal son, Luke xv. 25, we find mention of music and dancing on a private occasion of joy. They were also used to celebrate victories over enemies, as by Jephthah's daughter, Judg. xi. 34; on David's victory over Goliath, 1 Sam.. xviii. 6; and on other similar events. Music and dancing were also used on more solemn occasions, as after the deliverance of the Israelites and the destruction of Pharaoh's host, Exod. xv. 20, 21, on the removal of the ark by David, 2 Sam. vi. 14, and generally on sacred occasions: see Psa. cxlix. 3, &c. But we must remember that music and dancing were also used for bad purposes. The Israelites danced when they worshipped the golden calf, Exod. xxxii. 19. The Amalekites thus rejoiced after plundering Ziklag, 1 Sam. xxx. 16. Job refers to the rejoicing of the wicked in the same manner, Job xxi. 11, 12; and the dancing of the daughter of Herodias, Matt. xiv. 6, ended in the murder of John the Baptist. First, as to music. David played very well upon the narp; and this was blessed by God so as often to make it the means of calming Saul, when the evil or wicked spirit troubled him, 1 Sam. xvi. 23. The prophets also called for music sometimes, when they were about to speak the words they were commanded, as Elisha, 2 Kings iii. 15; see also 1 Sam. x. 5. David had four thousand Levites who praised the Lord with instruments which he caused to be made expressly for that purpose, 1 Chron. xxiii. 5. These instruments were used in the services at the temple; see 2 Chron. v. 12; vii. 6. The principal instruments of music among the Jews were harps, lyres, (a sort of small harp, something like a violin,) tambourines, mouthpipes, a sort of bagpipe, trumpets, flutes, cymbals, triangles, musical bells, and others which cannot now be correctly ascertained. Some of these are represented at page 148. Trumpets are often mentioned. Moses was commanded to make two, which were used to call the people together in the wilderness, and to give signals for their marching, Numb, x. These are supposed to have been straight, with bell-mouths, and about two feet long. Two such trumpets are represented on the triumphal arch of Titus at Rome, where there is a sculpture representing the candlestick and other sacred vessels of the Jews, as carried in his triumphal procession, see pages 150, 151. It is remarkable that the heathen Romans should have been led to give representations of several of the sacred articles of the Jews, and that these should have been preserved, while many other arches and representations commemorating their victories have been destroyed. As to the proper use of music, we well know how it solemnizes and affects the mind; and also that it is often much abused for profane and wicked purposes. This should make us very careful to shun trifling or foolish music, while there appears sufficient warrant to authorize us to use it for good purposes. Like wine and many other |